FED UP

(…continued…)

                When it was about closing hour, something happened that made her regret resuming work with as much commitment as she did.

She was standing with Mrs. Biodun at the entrance when she suddenly had a fainting spell and fell. Mrs. Biodun’s effort to catch her saw two of them on the floor. The other staff ran to them. They helped Mrs. Biodun get up.

  “Get water quickly,” she said to them.

                One of them brought water and she splashed it on Mabel. Mabel shook her head and opened her eye. She was surprised when she saw herself on the floor. She tried to get up quickly but Mrs. Biodun held her back.

  “Easy,” she said.

  “What happened?” Mabel asked.

  “You fainted.”

  “Kai. Again?”

                Mabel closed her eye and lay quiet for a while.

  “Mabel,” Ephraim called, nudging her.

                She answered and opened her eye.

  “Help me get up,” she said

                They helped her get up from the floor and sat her on a chair. She writhed and held her head.

  “What is it?” Mrs Biodun asked, holding her shoulder.

  “My head is aching.”

  “Do you need to see your doctor?”

  “No ma.”

  “Why?”

  “I saw the doctor few days ago when I was feeling like this.”

  “Then his prescription did not work. You need to see another doctor.”

  “No. I know why this happened.”

                They looked at her, expecting her explanation.

  “I did not take my drugs this morning.”

  “What?” Mrs Biodun said. “Why?”

  “I was in a hurry.”

  “Did you even eat?” Ephraim asked her.

                She shook her head.

  “Why would you do such a thing?” Mrs. Biodun asked her. “When you know that working here can be energy sapping and stressful at times.

  “I was running late.”

  “And so?”

  “I thought I could manage.”

  “You shouldn’t have even started work this week sef.”

  “I will be fine ma.”

                Mrs Biodun turned to one of the staff and told her to get sausage roll and malt for Mabel. She left to get it.

  “What will you do about your drugs?” she asked Mabel.

  “I have them with me,” Mabel replied.

  “You had your drugs and you didn’t take them since morning?”

                Mrs. Biodun was visibly angry.

  “Sorry ma,” Mabel said.

  “Sorry to who? Who is having headaches now? Some people can joke with their lives o.”

  “I will take them now.”

  “You can’t take a 2 times daily drug by this time. Since you have skipped the morning dose, leave it till evening.”

  “Ok ma.”

                She turned to the others and told them to go back to their work stations and round up for the day. Then she went into her office. Mabel got up to go to her own table and staggered a bit. Ephraim rushed to her and helped her to her work station.

  “You don’t have to stress yourself,” he said.

  “I need to round up too,” she said.

  “Let me help you then.”

  “Ok. Thanks.”

                Mabel placed her head on the table while she told Ephraim what to do. The lady who was sent to get the snacks for Mabel came in with it.

  “Get up and eat this,” Ephraim said to her. “It will help you.”

                She sat up and collected the snacks from the lady.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “No problem,” the lady said. “Try and finish it.”

  “I will. I am really hungry.”

                She ate it as she kept telling Ephraim what to do.  When he was done, he shut down the system.

                Mrs. Biodun came out with her bag. She asked some of the staff reports of their work for the day. They gave her. Then she went to Mabel’s table.

  “How are you feeling now?” she asked Mabel.

  “I am much better thank you,” Mabel said. “Hunger was the major problem.”

  “Don’t play this prank again o.”

  “I will not.”

  “Even if you are in a hurry, as soon as you get here, go and find something to eat. Quit playing iron lady.”

  “Ok ma,” Mabel said laughing.

  “Be laughing na. You think iron doesn’t break abi.”

  “So I thought o.”

                Mrs. Biodun pushed her face back and said, “Your face is a mess.”

  “I came with my make up kit. I will touch my face before I leave.”

  “Please do. How will you go? I am not going towards the house. I would have dropped you off.”

  “I will take public transport.”

  “I will drop you off,” Ephraim offered as he got up.

  “Ok.”

  “Take good care of yourself o,”

  “I will ma.”

                Mrs Biodun told them to lock up and she left.

  “When are you leaving?” Mabel asked Ephraim.

  “In ten minutes time. Let me tidy up somethings.”

  “Ok.”

                Mabel put the files and papers well in the table drawer, and then she did her make up as she waited for Ephraim to be through. When she was done, she called Cynthia who told her that she was in the house with their mother. She told Cynthia that she was on her way. As her colleagues left, they told her to take care of herself. She thanked them.

  “Ephy are you not through?” she asked when it was past the ten minutes that Ephraim had told her.

  “Almost done,” he replied. “Just give me few seconds.”

                Mabel took her bag and went outside. As she stood outside waiting for Ephraim, she got a call. She checked. It was from Ejike.

   “I am not in the mood for any hanging out today,” she said to herself as she let her phone ring.

                The call came again and she picked. She made sure to sound unwell. He asked how she was doing and asked why she was sounding the way she was. She told him she was not feeling too well. He asked where she was and she told him she was about leaving the office. He offered to come pick her up but she told him she couldn’t wait. He told her he would check on her when she got home. She agreed and he hung up the phone.

  “Who was that?” Ephraim asked her, standing in her blind spot.

(…to be continued…)

-©2015.Chinedu Isaac